SNAKES OF CEYLON. 279 



(b) Striking Posture : Similar to that evinced by its near 

 relative trigonatus. 



(c) Nocturnal or Diurnal : It is nocturnal in habit. 



Food. — I have many records of its diet. These go to show 

 that it favours a lacertine fare, frequently swallowing lizards 

 of the genus Galotes and similar genera. It also frequently 

 eats frogs, both arboreal and terrestrial. More rarely it 

 devours birds. Mr. Pear less told me that he found one in his 

 aviary once and killed it. It had eaten one of his canaries, 

 and he had previously lost six other birds, always canaries 

 or Java sparrows, which had disappeared mysteriously during 

 the night. 



Breeding. — (a) The Sexes : The male appears to grow much 

 larger than the female, judging from my notes. My largest 

 female record was 863 mm. (2 feet 10 inches), whereas I have 

 had no less than nine males exceeding 1,015 mm. (3 feet 

 4 inches). 



(b) Method of Reproduction : I have removed eggs from 

 the abdomen of such a size and character as to leave little 

 doubt that it is oviparous in habit. 



(c) Season : Mr. Green sent me notes of an egg-bound 

 female from Ceylon killed in May. I had two specimens in a 

 similar state in the Nilgiris in August, and four in September. 

 Another specimen with eggs from the Anamallay Hills was 

 killed in September. 



(d) Period of Gestation : Not known. 



(e) Period of Incubation : Not known. 



(/) The Eggs : I have frequently extracted eggs that were 

 about 25 mm. (1 inch) long, my largest measuring 28 by 8 mm. 

 (1-jk by ^ of an inch). They are remarkably elongate, 

 white, soft shelled, and have the poles equally domed. In 

 my nine gravid females the numbers have ranged between 

 three and eight. 



Growth. — (a) The Hatchling : My smallest specimen, which 

 appeared to be very recently hatched, measured 317 mm. 

 (12J inches). This was killed in August in the Nilgiri Hills. 



